Now, Google decided the best place to test the balloons out, thanks to favourable weather conditions, is the 40th parallel south. In terms of the Asia Pacific, this neatly covers New Zealand’s north island and… wait for it… Tasmania.

According to a story in The Age, Google is looking to get these Wi-Fi delivering balloons doing their thing in Australia halfway through 2014. It’s speculated in the article that because of its positioning near the parallel, northern Tassie would be the ideal location for the trial.

Perhaps a few southern-dwelling Victorians might get in on the action as well, but we’ll have to wait for Google to tell us the final details — though it’ll be holding “discussions” with the Government before going ahead.

There's good reasons to use hydrogen instead though - cost is lower, flammability is a much smaller concern for unmanned balloons at that altitude, you get significantly more lift, and leakage of hydrogen can be replaced in-flight by splitting condensed water with a basic solar-powered electrolytic cracker.

@zaphodity, Dude, the internet is a wonderful surveillance medium and you're on that to write your comment... A 21st century activist passes their protest on via clay tablet, didn't you get the clay memo they sent out?